ABSSAC supplies high quality, dependable edge-welded bellows and assemblies. Engineers in a broad spectrum of industries utilise Bellows products for the highest cycle life, wide material selection, and leak-tight performance. With proprietary welding technology, in-house tooling and machining, and custom solutions, we can supply a completed edge welded bellows assembly ready to fit directly into the customers’ application. Expert engineers can guide you to specify and produce truly optimized designs and fast prototypes, as well as full production runs. They can manufacture in all sizes and material combinations to fit your unique applications.
The process for manufacturing edge welded metal bellows begins with hydraulically stamping strips of metal sheets into diaphragms. Once stamped, diaphragms are inspected for quality and cleaned to ensure that the material is free of any grease or dirt. Next, the diaphragms are positioned back-to-back (male to female) to pair the inside diameter holes. They are then welded together through plasma, laser, arc, or electron beam welding equipment depending on the application and material. Vision systems can aid the accuracy and consistency of welds. The entire process is continued in order to make the proper number of convolutions. Once the inside diameter welds are completed, the convolutions are prepared for outside diameter welding. Depending on the welding equipment, chill rings are inserted between the convolutions in order to ensure that the heat from the welds does not distort or change material properties in the adjacent material.
The finished product is a long flexible assembly. The design of the metal diaphragms gives the bellows assembly its dynamic flexibility and high – performance characteristics.
Although more that competent in the supply of bespoke edge welded bellows designs, there are over 90 standard diaphragm sizes available. Most customers require end plates or custom flanges to meet a specific requirement or application and these end pieces can be welded to the end of each side of the bellows for a finished assembly.
Key Industries that use edge welded bellows include;
Aerospace - Edge welded bellows are a popular design choice for fuel regulation and management in aircraft devices. Inconel and Hastelloy materials are corrosion resistant to salt and seawater spray and submergence. Reliability and repeatability of usage of the product being a major factor in the product being chosen for this industry.
Medical - Edge welded metal bellows open new opportunities for medical test equipment, bellows pumps, reservoirs, connectivity and invasive systems. Titanium bellows are commonly used as invasive pumps to dispense medicine. An edge welded bellows can be manufactured as a heat exchanger for blood pumping equipment to reduce the temperature of blood during surgery. Metal bellows can be used in medical packaging equipment as a shaft cover in a vacuum chamber. We can also assist with non-magnetic bellows for imaging equipment.
Oil & Gas - Valve equipment relies on edge welded bellows from Bellows to ensure proper seating, containment and movement within the valve housing. Bellows mechanical seals are one of the most utilized mechanical seal technologies in the oil, gas and petrochemical industries because of reliability and chemical compatibility. Metal bellows produce repeatable results during expansion and contraction. Metal bellows technology is employed in sub-sea transformers to monitor, balance and contain the differential pressure of sea water and oil. Down-hole tools and sensors can use miniature bellows as small as 1mm in diameter create a flexible conduit or add movement based on changes in pressure and temperature
Semiconductor (Vacuum) - In semiconductor and ultra-high vacuum (UHV) manufacturing, edge welded bellows are used as flexible penetrations into process chambers. Both the Photovoltaic and OEM Solar industries share common requirements to the semiconductor industry in terms of media, processes, and functionality. Use edge welded bellows when thermal or pressure compensation is required for the expansion of liquids.
ABSSAC offers the following additional services:
· Proprietary stamping, cleaning and welding techniques for exceptional strength and consistency
· Individually inspecting diaphragms for the highest quality to ensure welds are the strongest and leak-tight
· Special handling to protect against contamination of the materials
· Deep penetrations and consistent weld bead geometry to ensure a leak-tight joint that can withstand high cycle applications
· Engineered for optimal performance with an internal vacuum or external pressure
· Optional heat treating to strengthen the material
· Helium leak testing to industry standards (1×10-9 for stainless steel material) to ensure the assembly is completely sealed.
· Lower leak rates are available as required
· Over 90 standard sizes, round and non-round shapes
· ISO 9001:2008 certified, AS9100 compliant product
How can we help you?
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Telephone us 01386 421005